Heavy lift helicopter with vertically adjustable cockpit

ABSTRACT

A helicopter for use in transporting large loads and having a cockpit movably connected to the main body fuselage by a parallelogram linkage which may be actuated by the pilot and/or load operator for increasing visibility when loading the helicopter and providing easy access to its interior.

United States Patent Nichols et al.

i541 HEAVY LIFT HELICOPTER WITH VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE COCKPIT I 72]inventors: John B. Nichols; Roger L. Gamaunt, both of Manhattan Beach,Calif.

Hughes Tool Co., Aircraft Division, Culver City, Calif.

[22] Filed: July 21,1970

[2]] Appl.No.: 56,932

[73] Assignee:

521 user ..244/l7.ll,244/ll8R,244/l37R 51 Int. Cl. ..B64c 27/04 581FieldoiSearch ..244/l7.ll,ll8R,l20,l2l,

[451 July 25,1972

[561' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,038,684 6/ 1962 Bradbury..244/ I 7.! 1 3,433,439 3/1969 Brame etal ....244/l2l X 3,450,3766/1969 Rusanovich et al ..244/137 R Primary Examiner-Milton BuchierAssistant Examiner-Paul E. Sauberer Attorney-Smyth, Roston & Pavitt 5 7]ABSTRACT A helicopter for use in transporting large loads and having acockpit movably connected to the main body fuselage by a parallelogramlinkage which may be actuated by the pilot and/or load operator forincreasing visibility when loading the helicopter and providing easyaccess to its interior.

8 Claims, Drawing Figures PATENTEHJULES i912 asmllm SHEEY .3 OF

HEAVYLIFIHELICOPTER j 1a ADJUSTABLE 1v BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inmost of the well-known cargo-handling helicopters available, the mainbody portion is mounted on a plurality of large wheel struts so that thehelicopter may be positioned over the load for attachment thereto.

It has been common to locate the cockpits of such helicopters inpositions forward and below the main body fuselage so that the loadoperator can look out a window at the rear end of the cockpit and taxithe helicopter in a reverse direction over the load which is to bepicked up. The load is then attached to the lower portion of thefuselage. This operation is similar in many respects to the handling ofcargo containers in that such machines drive over and straddle the loadthey are to carry.

Due to the fact that the cockpit is positioned in front of and below thehorizontal level of the main body, it is impossible to position thehelicopter relative to most loads except by backing the craft over theload. Further, it is relatively difficult, if not impossible, to carrylong loads with these helicopters since the position of the cockpitwould cause the load to extend so far to the rear of the helicopter asto seriously affect stability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvedload-carrying helicopter having a cockpit which is adjustable relativeto the cargo-carrying main body. This feature allows greater loadingversatility of the helicopter and greater ease in the manner in whichthe helicopter can be maneuvered to pick up its loads.

More specifically, a helicopter formed in accordance with the presentinvention is provided with a cockpit which is movably mounted on theforward end of the main body fuselage for adjustment in a verticalplane. The adjustability of the cockpit height relative to the groundallows the helicopter pilot or load operator to taxi the helicopter overa load to be transported by moving the helicopter either forward orbackward over the load.

Additionally, if the cockpit is adjusted so that, in its lowermostposition, it is adjacent the ground, it can be used as a conveniententryway for personnel who may then walk through a passage connectingthe cockpit to the fuselage so as to load the interior of the craft, beseated as passengers, or gain access to the main propulsion equipmentfor maintenance and repair.

Any suitable cockpit adjustment structure may be provided but, ifdesired, a parallelogram linkage may be utilized which also maycooperate with a set of adjustable steps within the sectioninterconnecting the cockpit and the body so that a person traversing thesection would always be able to stand upright.

Further advantages, objects, modes, and embodiments of this inventionwill become obvious to those skilled in the art by reference to theDetailed Description and accompanying drawings which illustrate what ispresently considered to be a preferred embodiment of the best modecontemplated for utilizing the novel principles set forth in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partial side elevation ofa helicopter formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view of the helicopter illustrated in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the same helicopter;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are simplified side elevations of the cockpit,illustrating a mechanism which may be utilized to adjust its positionrelative to the fuselage and the ground;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIGS. 4 and 5; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate various details of the cockpit adjustmentstructure as seen along a line VII-VII and VIII-VIII, respectively, ofFIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in greater detail,there is shown a helicopter having a main body fuselage 11 upon which ismounted a main propulsion rotor 13. A tail section 15 is also connectedto the main body and supports a tail rotor 17.

The helicopter is supported by a suitable set of struts l9 and 21 whichcarry ground contact wheels 23 and 25.

A load may be straddled by the struts 19 and 21 and attached to theunderside of the fuselage for transport by suitable means such as hooks26.

Propulsion for the helicopter is generated by a pair of engines 27 whichingest air via air intakes 29.

A cockpit 31, having a door 33, is adjustably mounted, by means whichwill be described, to the main body portion of the helicopter via aconnecting section 35. In addition to the usual windows for pilotvisibility, a window 36 is positioned at the rear of the cockpit.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, it can be seen that the main body 11 and thecockpit 31 are connected by two sets of pivoted links or rods 37 and 39,the links 37 being at the upper portion of the structure and the links39 being at the lower portion thereof. The forward ends of the links 37and 39 are connected by the body of the cockpit which acts as a linkbetween the links 37 and 39. This effect is illustrated in phantom inFIG. 4. The rear ends of links 37 and 39 are connected by a pair ofvertical support links 43. In other words, the links 37, 39, and 43 oneach side of the structure 35, together with the body of cockpit 31,form a parallelogram. The links may be connected to one another at theillustrated pivot points so as to allow the parallelogram to be movedbetween the positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Any suitable control structure may be used to alter the shape of theparallelogram, thereby regulating the position of the cockpit. By way ofexample, there has been shown a hydraulic cylinder 47 relative to whicha piston rod 49 may be telescopically actuated inwardly and outwardly.The cylinder and rod may be pivotally attached to the link 39 andsupport 43 at substantially diagonally opposed positions on theparallelogram. When hydraulic fluid is passed through a line 51, thepiston rod 49 will tend to be driven out of the cylinder 47, therebycausing the parallelogram to be deformed into the shape illustrated inFIG. 5. On the other hand, when fluid is passed through a line 53, thepiston rod will be drawn into the cylinder 47, causing the parallelogramshape to return to that illustrated in FIG. 4.

Consequently, the cockpit can be positioned relative to the ground andthe main body at any elevation desired by the operator.

As can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the section 35 may thus be providedwith an exterior skin which encloses the section and protects it fromexposure to wind and weather, regardless of its elevation.

As shown, the cockpit 31 is provided with a triangular member 55 towhich an upper skin section 57 and a lower skin section 59 are pivotedat points 61 and 63, respectively. The upper skin section 57 may also bepivoted to the main body 1 l at point 65, and the lower section 59 maybe pivoted at 67 to a lower end of a triangular extension 69 of the mainbody portion 11.

Comparing FIGS. 7 and 8, as the cockpit is lowered, the skin sectionswill remain interrelated in such a way that the interior of the section35 remains protected. The provision of suitable sealing means betweenthe skin sections will insure that such protection is adequate.

As shown in FIG. 8, a flight of steps 71 may each be pivotally mountedon a pair of links 73, each extending parallel to the opposedparallelogram links 39. Links 73 are pivotally attached to link 43 andlink 39. The leading edges of the steps may each be connected to thelinks 73 so that, as the cockpit is moved toward the raised position,each step becomes flattened to form a floor surface within the section35. However, when the cockpit is moved toward the lowered position, thesteps are pivoted upwardly, relative to the links 39, so as to provideconvenient foot supports for passengers and personnel. Another link 75may also be pivoted to the links 43 and 39 to serve as a handrail forpersons using the steps as a ladder.

In a helicopter equipped with this movable cockpit, the load operatorcan raise the cockpit and taxi the helicopter over the load to betransported. Suitable devices may then be actuated to secure the load tothe helicopter which may then lift oif. If desired, the load controloperator may depress the cockpit at any time during the loading orunloading in order to maintain unobstructed vision of the operation; hiscargo-handling ability is consequently increased.

Further, if desired, the operator can taxi the helicopter in reverse soas to move it over the load in a manner similar to that in which priorart helicopters are used. The use of the adjustable cockpit also allowspassengers and crew members to enter and leave the aircraft withouthaving to use cumbersome ladders which must be extended and retracted.

With this disclosure the applicants have provided an embodiment of a newand improved concept in the helicopter art which yields a true advancein that art.

Many modifications and alterations of that embodiment, as well as otherembodiments, will be obvious to those skilled in the art, wherefore whatis claimed as the invention is:

I. In a helicopter comprising a main body section, a plurality of strutsfor supporting said main body section when the helicopter has landed,and load attachment means on the lower surface of said main body portionfor carrying a load positioned intermediate said struts, the improvementcomprismg:

a cockpit mounted on said main body section and means for adjusting thevertical elevation of said cockpit between a first position in asubstantially horizontal plane with said main body portion and a secondposition substantially below said main body section.

2. The helicopter of claim 1 wherein said adjusting means comprises aplurality of link means forming a geometric figure, and

means attached to said plurality of link means for altering the shape ofthe geometric figure.

3. The helicopter of claim 1 including a connecting section intermediatesaid main body section and said cockpit, said adjusting means extendingthrough said connecting member. 4. The helicopter of claim 3 includingladder means within said connecting section comprising a plurality ofsteps and means interconnecting said steps for maintaining thefoot-contact surface of each step in a horizontal plane in all positionsof vertical elevation adjustment of said cockpit. 5. The helicopter ofclaim 1 wherein said second position is adjacent the ground surface whensaid helicopter has landed. 6. A helicopter comprising a main bodyfuselage, propulsion means mounted on said fuselage, a cockpit attachedto said fuselage, adjustable means connecting said cockpit to saidfuselage for adjusting the position of said cockpit relative to saidfuselage, said adjustable means comprising a plurality of link meanspivotally connected together so as to form a parallelogram, and meansfor varying the shape of the parallelogram formed by said link means. 7.The helicopter of claim 6 wherein said varying means comprises ahydraulic cylinder attached to one of said link means of hparallelogram. and a piston rod extending telescopically from a positronwithin said cylinder and attached to another of said link means in theparallelogram.

8. A helicopter comprising a main body fuselage,

propulsion means mounted on said fuselage,

a cockpit attached to said fuselage,

adjustable means connecting said cockpit to said fuselage for adjustingthe position of said cockpit relative to said fuselage, and

means in said adjustable connecting means providing passage means forpersonnel moving through said connecting means between said cockpit andsaid main body fuselage.

1. In a helicopter comprising a main body section, a plurality of strutsfor supporting said main body section when the helicopter has landed,and load attachment means on the lower surface of said main body portionfor carrying a load positioned intermediate said struts, the improvementcomprising: a cockpit mounted on said main body section and means foradjusting the vertical elevation of said cockpit between a firstposition in a substantially horizontal plane with said main body portionand a second position substantially below said main body section.
 2. Thehelicopter of claim 1 wherein said adjusting means comprises a pluralityof link means forming a geometric figure, and means attached to saidplurality of link means for altering the shape of the geometric figure.3. The helicopter of claim 1 including a connecting section intermediatesaid main body section and said cockpit, said adjusting means extendingthrough said connecting member.
 4. The helicopter of claim 3 includingladder means within said connecting section comprising a plurality ofsteps and means interconnecting said steps for maintaining thefoot-contact surface of each step in a horizontal plane in all positionsof vertical elevation adjustment of said cockpit.
 5. The helicopter ofclaim 1 wherein said second position is adjacent the ground surface whensaid helicopter has landed.
 6. A helicopter comprising a main bodyfuselage, propulsion means mounted on said fuselage, a cockpit attachedto said fuselage, adjustable means connecting said cockpit to saidfuselage for adjusting the position of said cockpit relative to saidfuselage, said adjustable means comprising a plurality of link meanspivotally connected together so as to form a parallelogram, and meansfor varying the shape of the parallelogram foRmed by said link means. 7.The helicopter of claim 6 wherein said varying means comprises ahydraulic cylinder attached to one of said link means of theparallelogram and a piston rod extending telescopically from a positionwithin said cylinder and attached to another of said link means in theparallelogram.
 8. A helicopter comprising a main body fuselage,propulsion means mounted on said fuselage, a cockpit attached to saidfuselage, adjustable means connecting said cockpit to said fuselage foradjusting the position of said cockpit relative to said fuselage, andmeans in said adjustable connecting means providing passage means forpersonnel moving through said connecting means between said cockpit andsaid main body fuselage.